Rory O'Tunny (''fl. c.'' 1520 – 1542; , ; other spellings include ''Ruoricus, Otyuny, Otwyne, Otuyne, Otyyne'') was an Irish

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

Rory O'Tunny was born into a family of sculptors, said to have originated in

Callan, County Kilkenny Callan () is a town and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Kilkenny in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated 16 km (10 mi) south of Kilkenny on the N76 road to Clonmel, it is near the border with County Tipperary. It is ...

. According to his own signature in Kilcooly Abbey, his father's name was Patrick. Rory was primarily a sculptor of

tomb A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...

s, eight of which of which he signed with his full name. Among his more prominent works are three tombs in

Kilcooly Abbey Kilcooley Abbey is a Cistercian abbey near the village of Gortnahoe in County Tipperary, Ireland. The abbey is located inside the grounds of the Kilcooley Estate. This abbey dates from 1182 when the King of Thomond Donal Mor O’Brien granted ...

, the resting place of Sir John Grace and his wife, Honora Brenach, in the North aisle of St. Canice' Cathedral,

County Kilkenny County Kilkenny () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the City status in Ir ...

, and the tombs of Robert Walsh and his wife, Katherine Poer (Power), at

Jerpoint Abbey Jerpoint Abbey () is a ruined Cistercian abbey, founded in the second half of the 12th century in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located 2.5 km south west of Thomastown on the R448 regional road. There is a visitor centre with an exhibi ...

. Several of the chest tombs at St. Canice's Cathedral which had been taken apart and scattered in the graveyard by Cromwellian forces and re-assembled in the 19th century have been partially identified as O'Tunny's work by John Hunt. He is also believed to have carved the Trinity Stone (Throne of Grace) once housed in St. Mary's Church, Callan,Strickland, Henry G. A Dictionary of Irish Artists. Maunsel & Company, Limited, Dublin and London. 1913. now in the Catholic Church in Callan.

Gallery

Rory O'Tunney signature.jpg, Rory O'Tunny's signature in Jerpoint Abbey (upside down) Throne of Mercy at the Catholic Church of the Assumption.jpg, Throne of Mercy or Trinity Stone in Callan Inscription on grave of John Grace at Saint Canice's Cathedral.jpg, Inscription on grave of John Grace at Saint Canice's Cathedral Ruoricus OTynny.jpg, O'Tunny signature on a tomb at Kilcooley Abbey Rory O'Tunny's signature.jpg, Signature on the tomb of John Grace at St Canice's Cathedral

References

External links

RTÉ Report on the O'Tunny sculptures
(archived 2012) Year of death missing Irish sculptors Year of birth uncertain Artists from County Kilkenny 16th-century sculptors Irish male sculptors People from Callan, County Kilkenny {{Ireland-sculptor-stub

Gallery

Further reading

References

External links